Berlin Tourist Attractions

Top Tourist Attractions in Berlin

Berlin is the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as the largest city with a population of over 3 million. The city of Berline regained its status as the capital after the reunification of Germany in 1990.

It also serves as a major centre of politics, culture, media and science, and a hub for air and rail transport.

As a city noted for its cultural flair, Berlin is home to the world famous Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The art scene is diverse, which is very evident with the hundreds of art galleries, the Annual Forum - an international art fair, and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Museum Island. The palaces and parks of Berlin were designated World Heritage sites in 1990.

History

The first documented mention of Berlin dates back to the 13th century. Colln and Berlin were separate cities that eventually united to become known as Berlin, which was the larger of the two. The Thirty Year War was devastating to the city with damage to one-third of the homes and half the population lost. The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought increased growth to the population and the economy. In 1871, Berlin became the capital of the German Empire.

The 20th century saw great change for the city of Berlin. The Greater Berlin Act in 1920 saw many towns and villages united to create a population of almost 4 million. During the Second World War, large sections of Berlin were destroyed. At the end of the war, vast numbers of refugees entered Berlin and the city was divided into four sectors. Eventually, there was East and West Berlin with increased tensions which came to a head with the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The historical transition occurred in 1989 when citizens were given access across the wall, which was finally demolished. October 3rd, 1990 was the date when the two parts were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany.

Germany was one of the founding countries in the European Union. Today Berlin is the third most popular tourist destination in the EU. The cityscape today has been shaped by the city's history with an eclectic mix of architecure and other landmark sights. Visitors will enjoy the dynamic nightlife, variety of sports and notable cultural institutions, which led to Berlin being listed as a City of Design by UNESCO.

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Berlin Wall

Highlight:	Berlin Wall Museum

West Berlin (former)

Highlights:	Zoological Gardens Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection Charlottenburg Palace Museum of Ethnography, Dahlem Museums Museum of Applied Art Dahlem Museums Picture Gallery, Dahlem Museums Kurfürstendamm Spandau Citadel Museum of Transport and Technology Tiergarten Reichstag Building Wannsee	Berlin Museum Glienicke Palace and Park Berlin Olympic Stadium New National Gallery Grunewald Hunting-Lodge, Grunewald International Congress Center (ICC) Hasenheide Public Park Botanic Gardens Collection of Classical Antiquities Emperor William Memorial Church Radio Tower

East Berlin (former)

Highlights:	Under the Lime-Trees Avenue Brandenburg Gate Gendarmenmarkt Pergamon Museum Märkisches Museum (Brandenburg Museum) Museum of Natural History Ephraim Palace, Nicolai Quarter Berlin Arsenal Alexanderplatz St Nicholas Church National Gallery Husemannstrasse Museum Island	Nicolai Quarter St Mary's Church Berlin Cathedral New Guardhouse Checkpoint Charlie Palace Bridge Bode Museum German State Opera House Müggelsee Berlin Zoo Television Tower Old Museum

Havel River

The Havel River runs through Berlin, adding to the city's scenery. Visitors can enjoy the sights on a river cruise from a steamer.

Highlights:	Peacock Island	Peacock Island Nature Reserve

Musical Instrument Museum

The Musical Instrument Museum focuses on instruments of the 16th to 19th C, which are laid out in chronological order.

Berlin Philharmonic Hall

The Berlin Philharmonic Hall is a modern, 1960s building, known mainly for its fine acoustics.

Jewish Cemeteries

There are several Jewish Cemeteries throughout Berlin. The oldest is located in the Mitte district with others in Charlottenburg and Prenzlauer Berg districts. A few of them also have Jewish memorials.

Spree River

The Spree River flows through several German states including Berlin. Tour boats and leisure crafts tour the Spree and the adjoining waterways to enjoy the Spreewald, the landscape surrounding the river.

Berlin Art Library

The Berlin Art Library has a costume library, 180,000 volume art library, commercial art and posters. The magazines and newspapers are from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Town Halls

Highlights:	Red Town Hall	Schöneberg Town Hall

Railroad Stations

Highlights:	Potsdam Station	Anhalter Bahnhof

National Berlin Library of Prussian Cultural Heritage

Highlight:	Former National Library of Prussian Cultural Heritage

Jewish Museum Berlin

The exhibits in the Jewish Museum Berlin include German-Jewish history and culture from the Middle Ages to present. The collections on display feature family photos, or documents, ceremonial objects, paintings, photographs, graphics, sculptures, architectural models, postcards, furniture, rare books, scripts, textiles, porcelain, Torah ornamentation, portraits, and pictures of synagogues.

Subway

The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) was formed in 1929 and is made up of two separate metro systems. The U-Bahn is fully integrated with bus and S-Bahn services. It has 142.1km of track, 120.2km underground and 10.2km elevated. There are 166 stations. The system has a flat fare structure.

The BVG had more than 480 million passenger journeys in 1993 with a rolling stock of 1,484 cars. During peak hours trains run every three minutes.

When the Berlin Wall was still in place, parts of the West Berlin subway still rolled under the East through sealed up ghost stations. With reunification, much of the system is being rebuilt.